Russia would have taken a new step in its campaign to destabilize Europe. According to information from Western intelligence services collected by the “Wall Street Journal”, Vladimir Putin personally ordered an intensification of sabotage operations against NATO member countries.
The presumed objective of this strategy would be to weaken European support for Ukraine, while increasing attacks sufficiently discreet to avoid a direct military confrontation with the Atlantic Alliance.
One of the most worrying operations took place at the beginning of August at Leipzig-Halle Airport, Germany. A drone loaded with explosives was allegedly used to try to destroy a Ukrainian cargo plane. Fortunately, the device did not explode.
On the night of August 4 to 5, a drone carrying an explosive charge was found near a Ukrainian Antonov parked at the German airport. According to elements of the investigation reported by the “Wall Street Journal” and the “Spiegel”, the aircraft hit a wing of the plane, near the fuel tanks, before falling to the ground. Its firing system would have failed.
An increase in clandestine attacks
Western services suspect Russia in particular of having organized fires and sabotage targeting industrial installations, strategic infrastructure and companies participating in the Ukrainian defense effort.
Already in July 2024, several incendiary packages caught fire in logistics facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland. Investigators feared that these operations would be used to prepare attacks against international air transport.
More recently, companies related to drone manufacturing, communications equipment and merchant ships in the Black Sea have been targeted by attacks or sabotage attempts.
The Kremlin has firmly rejected these accusations. Vladimir Putin denounced unfounded allegations and demanded proof.
